Manchester United's plans for a squad clearout were already apparent in the Old Trafford dressing room

When those of us fortunate to participate in the press game at Old Trafford entered the home dressing room last month, the names of the Manchester United players had already been removed.

You may have noticed in pictures posted by players or visitors on the stadium tour that the designated changing area for a player is usually accompanied by their name and squad number. For our post-Premier League season run-out last year, the names were still on show.

"They've already started the clearout," quipped a regular at United home games for last month's kick about. Easier said than done.

Alvaro Fernandez had probably cleared his flat before his transfer to Benfica was made permanent and Monza-bound Omari Forson had one foot out of the door before the season had ended. Forson was not spotted at Wembley during the FA Cup final.

Neither are household names. Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial are and squad numbers 9 and 19 are now vacant. United could do with a statement sale, though.

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Mason Greenwood or Jadon Sancho would not fall into that category. They are United players in name only and the club is comfortable with whipping up interest in two forwards who should not play again for United due to drastically different reasons.

Nor would reserve defenders Victor Lindelof or Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with 12 years of service between them. Christian Eriksen's value has crept up after a productive start to the European Championship but the 32-year-old is not going to be among the items listed at an auction.

Until recent years, the seller's market was an afterthought for United. Embellishing the asset sheet took precedence over sales and the release of Martial and Paul Pogba is a legacy befitting the Ed Woodward error.

Woodward must have been oblivious to the fact some of United's greatest seasons in living memory were fuelled by significant sales. Selling Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis in the same summer without a single incoming would have caused sites to crash if it had happened in the social media era.

The contemporary equivalent would be for United to cash in on Marcus Rashford (though not as revered as Hughes), Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes. The 32-year-old Casemiro cannot hold a candle to the Ince of 1994-95.

Alex Ferguson entrusted Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and David Beckham in 1995. Inspired by Eric Cantona and exceptional and experienced professionals (Schmeichel, Bruce, Pallister, Irwin, Keane), United did the double double.

Nine years later, there was no way back for Ruud van Nistelrooy after his fall-out with Ferguson. Van Nistelrooy, scorer of 150 goals in five seasons, joined Real Madrid and United did not sign a replacement. They regained the Premier League title from Jose Mourinho's Chelsea juggernaut in what was their greatest championship triumph under Ferguson other than the breakthrough in 1993.

A year later, Ferguson had no room for sentiment. Alan Smith had recovered from a horrific leg-break but was moved on to Newcastle. Giuseppe Rossi's three-year spell in Manchester ended and Kieran Richardson, an FA Youth Cup winner whose drawing once graced Ferguson's office wall, was moved on. Gabriel Heinze was a treacherous departee but had a close bond with Cristiano Ronaldo.

That 2007 summer transfer window remains United's best for ins and outs. They ended the season as champions of England and champions of Europe. The world crown followed.

United presided over those three summers having come second and first in the Premier League. It was a struggle to shift dead wood after a sixth-place finish in 2022. United plunged to eighth last season, their worst finish since 1990. Plenty of players have long outstayed their welcomes.

Finding a buyer, temporarily or permanently, for Rashford would be a statement of intent. Jettisoning Antony after two dire years would be, too. Arranging for Scott McTominay to relocate amid the squeeze of the profitability and sustainability rules would be devoid of sentiment.

Only Ineos, as cold and objective as they purport to be, are swayed by emotion. They retained the manager on the basis of one game in a 52-game season amid euphoric celebrations in the stands at Wembley. There is also still a leadership vacuum as two of the three leadership pillars tend to their garden.

Perhaps most of the names should have stayed on show.